Posts Tagged ‘ammo
Winner! CSN Stores Giveaway!
Last week I posted a little giveaway contest sponsored by CSN Stores. And today we announce the winner! So today will be a very Happy Friday for Virginia!
Winner was chosen using random.org
We hope you choose something fun from CSN with your $50 gift certificate! I know Minnow has his eye on the citrus fly spray….
And Ammo the Dachshund says the Big Chew Turkey Leg can be for little dogs too!
Congrats! And thanks to everyone for entering! If you are interested in sponsoring a giveaway on our blog please contact us at info@paintingpony.com
Boomerang Obstacle Training
Have I mentioned I love my pony? Because I do. (I love them all in fact). But right now, Boomerang deserves some extra praise.
Over the weekend I set up a little mock obstacle course for him at another farm. This was an arena Boomer hasn’t been to in over a year – and many of the obstacles he had never seen before. It was sort of a test for me and him – to see if I could memorize a course, and if he could keep himself composed enough to complete all of the tasks. All in preparation for the Extreme Cowboy Race.
Boomer got a small warm up in a corner of the arena to start, but he wasn’t allowed to look at any of the obstacles.
We had a few sticky spots, which was to be expected. It was a lot harder to line him up for the “L” back-up than I expected without being able to first walk through it. And we had a little bobble on our second flying lead change. And the refusal at the barrels was sort of something I expected – in hindsight I probably could have really insisted he did it – but if you recall I’m a weenie when it comes to jumping. So that was partially my fault.
The gate opening/closing was a little tricky up at the far end. It didn’t really work out because what you couldn’t see was that once you opened the gate there was a sharp hill – which made it really difficult for me to hold the gate and not topple down the hill by throwing Boomer off balance. In the end I had to skip it because the second part of the gate swung open accidentally (it was supposed to be stuck into the ground), so we’ll have to practice that again at home sometime.
The tent at the end was a little scary for Boomer, but this was also the first time he had ever seen it, not to mention we had REALLY high winds that day. After the video was cut I had him walking under it with ease. So hopefully next time it will be a non-issue.
Overall I was really proud of Boomer’s progress. He’s come a long way in a few weeks. I won’t expect him to be perfect come time for the event, but I will expect him to try for me.
After our obstacle course we practiced a few elements. I even let Boomer run through bending poles – which we haven’t done since last mounted games season. He was so cute and swapped his leads at every pole and his end spin is phenomenal..I think it’s all that roll back work!
Come watch us at the Extreme Cowboy Race at the Harrisburg PA Horse World Expo. Feb 24 – 27!
Stay Pony
One of my plans this month is to teach Boomerang to ground tie, or in my case, to stay like a dog. I’ve never really taught a horse to ground tie – I guess mostly because I didn’t specifically have a need for it. In my sport of choice, mounted games, you are never allowed to break contact with your horse (at least on purpose) and we train our horses to follow us everywhere we go.
However, I DO think teaching to ground tie is an excellent idea, it has just mostly been pushed to the back burner – until now.
The more I thought about the idea of ground tieing, the more I began to equate it to the “stay” I taught my dog. Why couldn’t I just use the same method on my pony? Seems simple enough, so I decided to try it.
The way I taught my dog to stay was to give him a verbal “stay” walk away one step, return, then reward him & give him a release cue – I used the word “ok”. As we progressed I would add more distance and then eventually I added more time. The key was though, to add distance OR time – never both at the same time, at least until he had mastered each.
For example. I might walk 10 steps away, then immediately walk right back to him and reward. If I wanted to then work on my duration I’d start back at one step away and maybe count to 5 then return and reward.
As you can see from the above videos, right now we’re working on distance. I decided to use the verbal cue stay as well as the visual dropping of the lead rope. If Boomer didn’t stay, I return to him, back him into the space I had asked him to stay, and ask again.
These videos were shot during our first session. My hope is that I will eventually be able to use a verbal stay, a rope toss, or both together to cue him for his stay.
And thus is the beginning to me teaching my pony to stay like a dog.
**oh and who else thinks the Dachshund‘s cameo is HILARIOUS in the videos? He’s so sneaky!
2011 Trick Pony Goals
Last year I made a list of goals I wanted to accomplish with the trick ponies, hoping that by writing them down it would really help me to complete them. My plan worked! Because I completed all but one of my ten goals last year, I think I can pat myself on the back for that one!
Here’s a little recap of last year’s goals:
1. Teach Minnow to rear CHECK
2. Teach Blitz and Boomer to lay down on command CHECK for Boomer
3. Finish teaching Ammo and Boomer to paint CHECK (Ammo learned to make scratch art)
4. Come up with a new skit for Minnow to perform CHECK a performance of dueling super hero’s with Ammo
5. Make a new video of all of the trick ponies (and the Dachshund) performing CHECK thanks to my talented brother
6. Move Boomer up to compete in the Masters Division in Mounted Games CHECK we competed this past year in masters
7. Take Blitz to a bombproofing clinic/and or some Dressage events
8. Teach Ammo and Minnow some tricks together CHECK seen in their super hero performance
9. Find more venues/performances for Minnow to do – events that raise money for charities would be great. CHECK we attended the Equine Extravaganza, MGAA Nationals, and did several new camp performances.
10. Spend more time doing “nothing” with the boys CHECK
The only thing I didn’t get to do was take Blitz on an outing. Blitz is owned by my mom now, so she spent a lot of last year training him – hopefully this year I will find some time to take him somewhere.
So in keeping with my tradition, I thought I should come up with some new goals for this year. I’m so excited to get started and I have BIG plans for the boys this year.
2011 TRICK PONY GOALS
1. Take some western riding lessons with Boomerang
2. Push myself past my comfort zone and compete in something I’ve never done before
3. Teach Minnow to sit or lay down
4. Fine tune Boomerang’s cues for bow and lay down
5. Train some more tricks using the pedestal
6. Teach Minnow a brand-new trick skit for Pony Penning 2011
7. Teach Ammo the Dachshund a skit he can perform alone
8. Take Blitz on an outing (Dressage, Paperchase, Mounted Games, Tricks, etc)
9. Paint with the boys more often
10. Read a training book (or video) and teach one skill from it
11. Teach Boomerang flying lead changes, rollbacks, and a better sidepass
12. Read Misty of Chincoteague…again! 🙂
Sounds doable right? What are your goals for 2011? Anything I should add?
Helping Others
After the first of the year Painting Pony starts looking into where we want to send out charitable contributions that the ponies have raised throughout the previous year.
As stated on our website, we typically donate 10% of all canvas sales to the Chincoteague Pony Association – to help feed and care for the wild ponies on Assateague Island. Any extra we raise we like to help out other organizations such as the Main Line Animal Rescue, Large Animal Protection Society, SPCA, The Feather Fund, etc.
When I was down on Chincoteague Island this past year for pony penning I had heard that recently the Chincoteague Pony Association made some administrative changes. Thinking nothing much of it at the time (other than the fact that in 2010 you could no longer “really” register a foal bought at the auction for the time being) – I am now finding it increasingly difficult to contact someone about where I should send my donation. The Chincoteague Pony Association website is no longer functioning (I don’t know why!) – and even with trying to go through The Chincoteague Volunter Fire Company I am not having luck. Although, they do have a strange link up on their site now that says you can register your Chincoteague Pony Online. The Fire Company is the group who actually cares for the ponies on the island – so I thought sending a donation to them would still serve the same purpose, but alas no one will get back to me.
"Sea Foam" by Chincoteague Minnow
Well anyway, I fear if I just send my donation into the abyss it will end up in the wrong hands, and ultimately not end up going to the ponies I am trying to help at all.
So I have decided to divide my donation up this year, and pass it out to as many charitable groups as I can. Below is a list of organizations that we have decided to help this year.
Large Animal Protection Society
Thanks to all the rescue groups & non-profits out there that do their part to help animals.
Much Love,
Kyley, Chincoteague Minnow, Chesapeake Lightning, Chesapeake Boomerang and Ammo the Dachshund
